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How to use Google Tez
August 21, 2025
The demonetization and resulting cash crunch in India last year has given rise to a slew of digital payments apps. These apps go a long way towards making our lives easier, with everything from online transactions to paying at your previously cash-only tuck shops now possible with just your mobile phone.
Not to be left behind, Google jumped into the digital payments game with the launch of theTezapp a few months ago. Tez, which means ‘fast’ in Hindi, offers a few different ways to send and receive money, including one that makes it stand out from all the competition. If you haven’t used Google Tez already, here’s everything you need to know to get started!
A guide to Android Pay
Things to know
Google Tez utilizes the Unified Payment Interface (UPI). UPI was launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an umbrella organization for all retail payment systems in India. While the NPCI is a private entity, it is regulated by the country’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India, and is supported by the Indian Banks Association.
When using UPI, you get a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) that serves as a unique identifier for your bank. you may easily send and receive money using this ID, which looks like an email address (name@upi) and eliminates the need to divulge sensitive information like your bank account number, debit card and credit card numbers, netbanking details, and more. UPI is an advanced version of the Immediate Payment Sevice (IMPS), which allows transactions to occur 24/7.
UPI is very different from the e-wallets that have become popular in India. E-wallets require maintaining a balance that you need to load before performing any transactions. UPI allows for the debit or credit directly from or to your bank account, removing the additional step of pre-loading a digital wallet. Even popular e-wallet apps like Paytm have now introduced an UPI option.
Installation and setup
Here is a step by step guide to install and set up Google Tez.
Adding a bank account
Making or receiving payments
Usage limits
Google Tez is a great way to send or receive money. As far as online transactions are concerned, only a few stores and businesses currently support Tez, which include RedBus, PVR Cinemas, Domino’s Pizza, DishTV, and Jet Airways. While its online capabilities are quite limited for now, this list will definitely continue to grow in the coming months.
UPI has a daily transaction limit of Rs 1 lakh and a maximum of 20 transactions a day. Keep in mind that this is a limit set by the RBI. This means if you use another UPI app to send someone Rs 20,000, you can only use Tez to send another Rs 80,000 that day. There are no limits on how much you can receive.
Offers and rewards
Google has a few offers and rewards available to attract consumers which are pretty great. While some of these offers expire pretty soon, new offers should be available after that.
Google Tez vs the competition
There is a lot of competition in this space already, with apps like PayTm, Phone Pe, BHIM, and a slew of others already available directly from banks. Google was late to the party with Tez, but has something unique in the form of Cash Mode that helps it stand out from the crowd. That said, apps like PayTm and Phone Pe offer a lot more features and transaction capabilities than Tez.
PayTm and Phone Pe are quite similar in what they offer. Apart from transactions using UPI, which Paytm added only this month, both also work as a digital wallet. you’re able to also transfer and pay money using your debit or credit card, as well as netbanking. Both also allow for bill payments, phone recharges, and more. Paytm takes things to another level by serving as an e-commerce store as well. Paytm is also more widely supported when it comes to online transactions.
A more direct competition for Tez is the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), which is a public sector app. Like Tez, BHIM uses only UPI and the transaction capabilities are similar, except for Tez’s Cash Mode. However, BHIM comes with offline transaction support, so you don’t have to worry about having an internet connection.
One advantage Google Tez has over the other apps is with regards to cashback and rewards. Both Paytm and Phone Pe have fantastic cashback offers and rewards available as well, but the reward money is credited only to their respective digital wallets. With Tez relying solely on UPI, all rewards are credited directly to your bank account, allowing you to withdraw it as cash or use it where digital wallet payments aren’t accepted.
Final thoughts
Google Tez falls behind apps like PayTm and Phone Pe when it comes to features and capabilities. Not only do they come with support for more payment options like debit/credit cards and netbanking, but are also full fledged e-wallets, and can be used for more than just transferring money to another person.
Tez still has a long way to go as far as store and online payment support goes. However, if that’s not what you need and are looking for a quick and easy way to send or receive money, Tez’s Cash Mode is an intriguing prospect that works really well.
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